Phil finds a homework assignment

May 16, 2017

PONTE VEDRA, FL (MAY 14, 2017) – On the seventh anniversary of Phil Mickelson’s Players Championship victory Phil shared 41st place at three over par. Inflation happens. His $1,620,000 first-place check in 2010 would be worth $1,910,509 today’s dollars. Si Woo Kim, whom Phil defeated 5&4 in the Dell Match Play Championship in March, won the trophy and a check for $1,890,000.

Phil’s finish was disappointing, sure, but Phil being Phil he said, “I always try to find positives in the week and the positive for me was that I had a few little mini breakthroughs in some of the ball striking things I’ve been looking for and I hit a lot of good long shots.”

In an unusual move, Phil skipped a pre-tournament practice round on the course.

“I felt the first two days it paid off pretty well,” he said Friday after two rounds of 70-72 left him just five strokes off the lead.

“I was sharp, I was fresh, I hit a lot of good shots, I gave myself a couple of opportunities and really should have been in better shape had it not been for a shot here or there. You could easily say I missed the cut here the last four years, so to make the cut and be here on Sunday, that’s something new.”

The blustery weekend did not go as well. There were six scores in the 60s on Saturday, and 29 at 77 or more. Phil’s 78 left him in 67th place.

He made the turn at even par for the final round and counted four birdies on the inward nine but with a double bogey on 10 and bogey on 14 his net was 71. Still, that still moved him up fifteen places.

“I’ll go home this week and work on some areas of weakness,” he said, “the simple things, the chips, the lag putting, the things that I normally do well I take for granted and I’ve not been sharp on. I’ll put a little bit more attention to detail in that and see if I can take these average performances and turn them into contention.”